This was the sole G-32A. It first flew in 1938 as NC1326 and was used by Grumman. It was impressed into the USAAF in 1942 as UC-103 42-97045. Registered as N7F in 1956 then to N100TF in 1970. It crashed in 1971 and was rebuilt. Registered as N100TF again in 1990. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution

Built for Gulf Oil pilot Alford Williams. Drafted into the USAAF in 1942 as an UC-103 high-speed transport. It returned to civil use after World War II and was lost when it crashed into the Everglades in October 1948. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution

A very regimented line-up of VMF-1. An 18-aircraft squadron's first section's colour was red, the second section was white, the third blue, the fourth black, the fifth green and the sixth yellow. A section leader's aircraft had a fully coloured cowling and a fuselage band, while the first wingman had the upper half of the cowling coloured and the second wingman the lower half. This system was dropped in 1940. VMF-1 became VMF-111 on 1 July 1941. Photo by: Dmitri Kessel / Life

F3F-2 biplane fighter preserved wearing the colourful Pre-WW2 markings and codes of USMC Squadron VMF-2.

Aircraft is an accurate full-scale interactive replica of the F3F, built by museum volunteers working from blueprints.

This was the only G-32A Gulfhawk built. It first flew in 1938 as NC1326 and was used by Grumman. It was impressed into the USAAF in 1942. Registered as N7F in 1956 then to N100TF in 1970. It crashed in 1971 and was rebuilt. Registered as N100TF again in 1990. Owned by Comanche Warbirds.

One of my earlier photos, taken in 1937 and showing an early F3F from the initial production batch for the US Navy. In those Black and White photography days we always preferred a Number 10 striped plane because the black always looked best on the finished photo. Red (Number 1) would come out dark but never as dramatic.

Grumman F3F-2 built in 1936. Preserved airworthy by the Lone Star Museum wearing US Marine Corps markings.

Lots of very interesting planes to be seen at the very friendly Planes of Fame Museum at Valle.

The single G-22 was an aerobatic aircraft derived from the F3F fighter, with F2F wings.

I photographed this plane, BuNo 0972, here in 1938 at Oakland when it was still in service with the Navy, and again in 2012 at Schellville, CA. I think that is a record for the same photographer and same plane 74 years apart.

This has been over a year in the planning and it finally all came together on this day. I photographed this plane in 1938 at Oakland when it was still in service with the Navy, and again here in 2012. I think that is a record for the same photographer and same plane 74 years apart.
N20RW has been rebuilt by Christopher D. Prevost, owner of the Vintage Aircraft Company at Schellville, California. He purposely painted it in the markings of my 1938 photo and it is a very accurate job thanks to the input of Rich Dann and others. It first flew in September 2012 shortly before this photo was taken.

In 1938 this G-22 was shipped to Europe for an aerobactic demonstration tour, during which the famous German WWI ace Ernst Udet became only the sceond person ever to fly the Gulfhawk II when he piloted it over Germany. In exchange, the usual pilot, Major Al. Williams became the first American to fly the Bf-109. The G-22 is now on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center.